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unhinged
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'culture and literacy, in the final stage of decline, are replaced with noisy diversions, elaborate public spectacle, and empty cliches. the roman statesman cicero inveighed against the ancient equivalent of this degeneration and, for his honesty, was hunted down and murdered. his severed head and right hand, which had written the philippics, were nailed onto the speaker's platform in the forum. fluvia, the wife of mark antony, reportedly spat on the severed head, placed it on her knees, opened its mouth, and pierced the tongue with hairpins. the crowd roared with approval. cicero, the crowd was assured, would never speak or write again.' - chris hedges
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171205
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